Closing Bell: Nifty stays above 23,700, Sensex surges 633 points; rupee slips to an all-time low.

With the exception of FMCG and metal stocks, all other sectoral indices closed in positive territory. Realty, IT, auto, media, capital goods, consumer durables, telecom, and infrastructure sectors gained between 1–3%. The Nifty Midcap index advanced 2%, while the Smallcap index climbed 1.6%. Top gainers on the Nifty included

, , , l, and . On the downside, , , , , and were among the major laggards. Indian benchmark indices wrapped up the session on a strong footing on March 18, with the Nifty holding above 23,750. At the close, the Sensex rose 633.29 points (0.83%) to settle at 76,704.13, while the Nifty gained 196.65 points (0.83%) to end at 23,777.80. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.